All aboard! Thousands tour Tall Ships, marvel at detail

PORTSMOUTH — Throngs of people descended on the Commercial Fishing Pier Saturday to tour the H.M.S. Bounty and Privateer Lynx as part of this year's Tall Ships visit.

Across the water in Prescott Park, spectators lined the fences while enjoying ice cream and the view of the ships and the crowds.

After a welcoming cannon salute on Friday, visitors were able to go aboard the two ships Saturday. They will be open through Memorial Day on Monday.

"It's pretty cool for them to see a piece of history," said Pam Watson of Rye, nodding to the children with her.

Watson came to Portsmouth to see the ships with her daughter, son and their friend.

"I thought the mahogany woman on the front of the (Bounty) was interesting," said Ella McGrail, 10, who was spending the afternoon with the Watsons. "I also learned that (the mastheads) are always women."

Alexandria Watson, 11, wrote letters to soldiers overseas as part of the Memorial Day activities at the Tall Ships event.

"It's nice to do that for them," she said. "It gives them the motivation to do what's right."

Onboard the ships, there were many excited visitors from the Seacoast area.

Six-year-old Quinn Hinsley and brother Ian, 5, went aboard the Bounty while their mom and dad watched.

"The ships are great," said Karen Hinsley, of Bedford. "The children really like the cannons."

There was no doubting that. Ian and Quinn kept looking for the cannon balls, which seemed to be missing.

"They're cool," Ian said of the cannons.

Dana and Diana Daigle of Wakefield walked down to the ships from the Riverhouse Restaurant after a quick meal.

"We've had a great time," Diana said, adding that this is the second time she's seen ships of this size.

First time aboard a ship, Linda Parsons of Concord was even more thrilled when she heard Johnny Depp had been aboard the Bounty to film the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean II."

"We saw (the event) in the paper and the weather was great," Parsons said. "It seemed like a beautiful day to come out."

Although the area was full of visitors, Parsons said the crowds were manageable.

"We didn't have to wait at all," she said.

Parson's son Trevor, 12, was checking out all the details on the Bounty as he walked along the deck.

"It's really cool," he said. "I don't know how they got it so detailed."

Bounty deckhand Katie Departo has been sailing for four years and with the Bounty for six months, but this isn't her first time in Portsmouth with a tall ship. In 2008 she was on the Roseway, a 137-foot original 1925 Grand Banks private fishing schooner.

"It's a completely different event," Departo said. "Different people, different deck, different ship."

With the weather expected to stay mostly sunny for the weekend, Departo is expecting the crowds to continue into Monday. By 2:30 p.m., Departo already had 1,800 people tour the ship.

Those taking tours could learn about the ships and their history.

The Bounty has been in many movies, including "Pirates of the Caribbean II," the "SpongeBob SquarePants" movie and the new Disney "Oceans" film.

It was originally built in 1960 for the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty," which starred Marlon Brando. It is a replica of the original Bounty. It is a 180-foot "fully rigged ship" — three masts and all square sails. It carries up to 18 sails, which total 10,000 feet of canvas, and is armed with four 4-pound cannons.

The Privateer Lynx is a replica of the actual privateer Lynx built by Thomas Kemp in 1812. It was among the first ships to defend American freedom by evading a British naval fleet that blockaded American ports during the War of 1812. It was built for speed and maneuverability.

"It's cool how most of their mobility is wind power," said University of New Hampshire student Joshua Blake.

Blake said he thought the ships were outstanding.

"They're pretty epic," he said

If the rest of the weekend stays clear and sunny, Cory Crowner, third mate on the Bounty, said he expects it to stay busy and be "a blazing success."

Boat tours will run through Memorial Day Monday. Organizers of the event are expecting 5,000 to 6,000 people depending on the weather.

The ships will be touring this summer around the Great Lakes after their stop in Portsmouth.

Both Saturday and Sunday afternoon on the dock there is planned traditional Sea Shanty music by the Dog Watch Singers and the UNH Docent Singers. Food will be presented daily by the NH Commercial Fisherman's Association and educational exhibits will be under the tent.

The tall ships will be docked at the Fishing Pier during the weekend for tours. Admission is $9 for adults; children 12 and under are free. A $25 family package will also be offered. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m. and run until 5:30 p.m., through Monday.

For more information, contact the Piscataqua Maritime Commission at 603-431-SHIP or visit their website at www.pmcportsmouth.org.

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